How and Why to Bootstrap Your Venture
Christopher Hill, Founder and CEO, PerkSpot
Starting a business is cheap. The venture capital model is broken. Many entrepreneurs believe success only comes through the blessing and purse strings of a venture capitalist. However, starting a technology business is cheaper than ever and there is no longer a need for startups to raise venture capital. Bootstrapping allows entrepreneurs to maintain equity ownership and ensures the flexibility to run their ventures in a way that will maximize return on the entrepreneur's invested time and capital.
As an informed consumer, Christopher Hill founded PerkSpot in order to help employees discover the valuable discounts available to them. He currently leads the PerkSpot team in finding the latest and greatest discounts, ensuring PerkSpot users have a great experience, and collaborating with clients to put together robust discount programs for employees/members. Before founding PerkSpot in 2006, Hill worked for Lake Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm, managing portfolio companies and evaluating acquisition opportunities in the business services space. Prior to Lake Capital, he worked in Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin’s healthcare investment banking unit. He earned a BS in Business and Economics from Taylor University. Christopher also currently serves on the Board of Directors of Griffith Tutoring, a non-profit organization preparing at-risk Chicago high school students for the ACT college entrance exam.